WTC Assistance Programs
Theresa Gorman, MPH
Health and Safety Assistant
IAFF Department of Occupational Health and Safety
September 2013
Today’s Presentation
• Recent 9/11 legislation
• Resources for 9/11 responders:
• World Trade Center Health Program
• 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
• IAFF outreach efforts
James Zadroga 9/11
Health and Compensation Act of 2010
Signed into law in January 2011, allocating federal funds to
provide health care and financial aid for workers and
residents affected by 9/11:
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Reopened the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
Established the WTC Health Program
Established a list of health conditions to be covered by
the WTC Health Program
Created a process that allows this list to be updated
based on emerging scientific evidence
Programs for 9/11 Responders
Two different programs with different enrollment
applications:
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WTC Health Program
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Administered by the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Provides responders with free medical monitoring exams
and treatment for 9/11-related health conditions
9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
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Administered by the Department of Justice
Provides financial compensation for sick or injured
responders or family of deceased responders
The WTC Health
Program
The WTC Health Program replaces the Mt. Sinai WTC
Medical Monitoring program
• If you were enrolled in the WTC Medical Monitoring program,
you are automatically enrolled in the WTC Health Program
• No re-enrollment is necessary
You can enroll in the program even if you do not live in the
NYC area
• You do not need to travel to NYC to see a doctor or to enroll in
the program
• Through the Nationwide Provider Network, you can visit a clinic
close to where you live
The WTC Health
Program
How does the Nationwide Provider Network work?
• Provides referrals to physicians and specialists for
monitoring and treatment
• Each responder is assigned a nurse case manager to
identify the responder’s health care needs and locate an
appropriate provider near your home
• Three part process: medical history questionnaire,
diagnostic testing, and clinical evaluation
The WTC Health
Program
What are the benefits of enrolling?
• Provides responders with free annual health screenings
that evaluate physical and mental health status
• Provides free medical care for conditions certified to be
caused, contributed to, and/or aggravated by 9/11
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Medical tests
Doctor visits
Surgery
Prescription drugs
Health Conditions Covered
by the Program
Airways and Digestive Disorders:
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Asthma
Chronic cough
Chronic laryngitis
Chronic nasopharyngitis
Chronic rhinosinusitis
Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Interstitial lung disease (scarring of the lungs)
Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS)
Upper airway hyperreactivity
Sleep apnea exacerbated by or related to above conditions
Health Conditions Covered
by the Program
Mental health conditions:
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Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Depression
Panic disorder
Anxiety
Substance abuse
Cancers Covered
by the Program
• Effective October 2012, cancer was added to the list of health
conditions covered by the WTC Health Program based on
new research
• Many, but not all, cancers are covered
• A Program physician and Program Administrator must certify
that the cancer resulted from exposure related to 9/11 work
based on the patient’s medical history
• Once certified, the Program will pay for approved cancer
treatment, drugs, and services
Cancers Covered
by the Program
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Lip, tongue, gum, tonsil or
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other oral cavity
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Nose, nasal cavities, middle •
ear
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Larynx
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Esophagus
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Stomach
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Colon and rectum
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Liver and bile duct
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Trachea, bronchus, other
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respiratory organs
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Soft tissues (sarcomas)
Retroperitoneum, peritoneum
and omentum
Lung
Breast
Ovary
Skin, including scrotal cancer
Urinary bladder
Kidney
Ureter and urinary organs
Thyroid
Blood and lymphoid tissues
Mesothelioma
Eye
Eligibility Requirements
Who is eligible?
• Fire fighters who worked at the WTC, Pentagon, or
Shanksville PA crash sites
• FEMA response teams and other federal responders
• Behavioral health response teams
Eligibility Requirements
WTC Responders: Worked at least one day from
September 11, 2001 through July 31, 2002 at one
of the following locations:
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Lower Manhattan (south of Canal Street)
WTC Site (“Ground Zero”)
Staten Island landfill
Barge loading piers
Eligibility Requirements
Pentagon Responders: Worked for at least one
day from September 11, 2001 through November
19, 2001 at one of the following locations:
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Pentagon office building
Federal Building No. 2
Pentagon heating and sewage plants
Pentagon parking areas
Fort Belvoir, VA
Dover Port Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base, DE
Eligibility Requirements
Shanksville Responders: Worked for at least one
day from September 11, 2001 through October 3,
2001 at one of the following locations:
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Crash site in Stonycreek Township PA bounded by
Route 30 (Lincoln Highway), State Route 1019
(Buckstown Road), and State Route 1007
(Lambertsville Road)
Pennsylvania National Guard Armory in Friedens,
PA
Enrolling in Program Benefits You
and Other Emergency Responders
You can enroll in the program even if you currently don’t
have any health problems
• The medical screening may detect health conditions
that you are not aware of
• Measuring your health status over time can help your
doctor identify any concerning trends
• Information that is learned by screening healthy 9/11
workers will help protect disaster workers and
responders
How to Enroll in the WTC Health
Program
• Fill out the correct application
• NYC responder
• Pentagon/Shanksville responder
• FDNY responder
• You must provide documentation showing the dates and
number of hours worked at a 9/11 site:
• Pay stubs, command logs, letters from employer or coworker,
photos, ID cards, department communications, etc.
• You can download the applications at: www.cdc.gov/wtc
9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
Provides financial compensation for physical injuries
or illnesses specified by the Zadroga Act
Eligibility:
• Worked at any 9/11 crash site during the period
between September 11, 2001 and May 30, 2002
• Sustained a physical injury or diagnosed with an
illness as a direct result of work at any 9/11 crash
site
• VCF does not cover mental health illnesses
9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
Filing a claim involves two steps:
1. Register with the VCF – fill out a registration
form online
2. File a claim – file all appropriate eligibility
and claim forms with the VCF by close of
fund on October 3, 2016
To Register with the VCF
Claimant Circumstances
Registration Deadline
Learned of 9/11-related physical harm or illness
(excluding cancer) before October 3, 2011
October 3, 2013
Learned of 9/11-related physical harm or illness
(excluding cancer) after October 3, 2011
Two years from the date of diagnosis
Diagnosed with cancer resulting from the 9/11
attacks before October 12, 2012
October 12, 2014
Diagnosed with cancer resulting from the 9/11
attacks after October 12, 2012
Two years from the date of diagnosis
Diagnosed with a condition not on the original list of
9/11-related illness and added to list after October 3,
2011
Two years from the date the specific health condition
was added to the list of 9/11-related injuries
To File a Claim with the VCF
Claimant Circumstances
Deadline
ALL CLAIMANTS
October 3, 2016
9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
VCF registration preserves your right to file a
claim in the future. Registration is easy:
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Apply online at vcf.gov
Create an account with a username and
password
You will be assigned a claim number
Fill out a questionnaire about:
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Your 9/11 work and exposures
Any prior claim with the original VCF
9/11 related illness or injuries
9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
• Once registration is complete, you have until
October 3, 2016 (date of VCF closure) to file a
claim
• The VCF calculates awards on a case by case
basis involving three factors:
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Economic loss (lost wages, doctor’s bills, etc.)
Non-economic loss (emotional pain, suffering,
inconvenience, etc.)
Collateral source payments (PSOB benefits,
settlement payments from other 9/11 lawsuits, etc.)
9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
Contact the Victim Compensation Fund at
www.vcf.gov
1-855-885-1558
IAFF WTC Outreach Project
One website for all 9/11-related health questions:
wtc.iaff.org